MAYORS OF THE PAST 100 YEARS

By Lisa Valenti & Jenn Murrin

On April 5, 1878 an Act for the formation of a Borough Government was called for. And on March 12,1894, the first schoolhouse was built on Lenox Avenue where the present Municipal Building stands. The cost of the schoolhouse was only $1. Finally on December 20, 1894 H. Julius Smith proposed the idea for the Borough of Pompton Lakes. So on February 9,1895 the request was filed in Paterson for boroughship. The Judge making the decision was John Hopper. On February 23, 1895 at Durling Hall, in Pompton Lakes, a vote was taken and the outcome of the 127 votes was: 69 for and 58 against. The vote was victorious and the "Borough of Pompton Lakes, Township of Pompton, in the County of Passaic" was born.

With a new town developed a mayor had to be elected and the obvious choice was H. Julius Smith. He took office in 1895 and held it through 1896. It was during this time that a railroad crossing was made across Cannon Ball Road. As the mayors have been doing for the past hundred years, Smith was concerned with the roads. Since he was our beginning mayor he was concerned with creating the roads, then as time passed other mayors took care of paving and widening them, and today the main concern is repairing the roads and making sure they are kept up. Continuing Smith's job of taking care of road installation as well as other things was our second mayor, Walter B. Longyear. It was during this time that Railroad gates were installed at the railroad crossing at Ringwood Ave. and Wynockie Ave. (later changed to the spelling Wanaque). In August of 1898 the 3rd New Jersey Volunteer Infantry to the Spanish American War was lodging in what is today called Hershfield Park. Once again it came time for another election and H. Julius Smith was elected for a second term lasting from 1899 through 1900. During this time sidewalks were beginning to be installed, streets were widened, and signs were installed. Mr. Durling brought the first post office to Wanaque Avenue. Then he convinced the telephone company to put a community phone in his store. It has been said that Mr. Durling was given credit for naming our town.

In 1901 a new mayor was elected, C. C. Romain who held the position until 1904. Under his authority Pompton Lakes received its first fire department which was only passed by a 9 to 8 vote. It was during this time that Dupont came to the town; in 1902 the company was producing military supplies. Many men worked for Dupont and so they were offered housing for $5 a week to live in a house called "The Mansion" located in Klugetown. This got its name from a man named Alfred Kluge who brought the Artistic Weaving Company to Pompton in the late 19th Century, setting up a large business on the shores of Lake Inez which used to lie adjacent to the Klugetown Shopping Center (Now the A&P) that we know today. During Mayor Romain's term the great flood came on October 8, 1903. In 1905 it was time for a change so a new mayor was elected who held office until 1909 and he was William Schuyler Colfax. During this man's term the New York and New Jersey Telephone Company wanted to build poles on Lakeside Avenue, but it was voted down. Along with many other roads that were being built at this time on January 1, 1906 Hamburg Turnpike was completed. When Colfax's time was over a new mayor was elected named Henry G. Hershfield. This man held office for 7 years. Throughout this time it was decided that no more garbage was to be put in the streets. Mulin's point was selected to house a water and light plant. In 1911 Singer's Department Store moved up town. Also the Emanuel Einstein Memorial Library was built by Mrs. Fannie Einstein for her husband. Just down the street from this building came the dedication, in 1914, of the Freedom Bell and a piece from the battleship "The Maine" which was destroyed at the beginning of the Spanish American War. Similarly in 1914 a Y.M.C.A. was brought to Pompton. And also during Hershfield's term the Newark/Butler Bus System began to stop in Pompton Lakes.

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